Back in 1992 we published the first issue of the Doncaster Ballyhoo. It was mailed out as an underground publication because, as an English-only newsletter, Bill 101 said that it could only go to people who had subscribed. We explained the problem to our readers and asked them to send us written confirmation, allowing us to legally send them the Ballyhoo. From a total of 1,800 newsletters, we received a response from a remarkable 900 of them.

Our original newsletter consisted of a front page that highlighted community initiatives and news. We also had pages on local history, useful homeowner information and insights into the real estate market. Now, with a website, we can easily post all the work that Joe is doing on local history, and this page will keep you up-to-date on community initiatives.

When we first retired from real estate marketing, we both began working in a pro bono capacity for the CSSS des Sommets. Joe had been asked to sit on the board as the representative for the English-speaking community and Sheila and Joe both joined a project initiated by Sandra Savery and France Laframboise, two dedicated nurses, and Carol Comer, a retired one. Funded through the Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN) with a grant from the federal Department of Heritage, member institutions in the health and social services network were invited to set up projects to help meet the needs of the English-speaking minorities. Sheila became the president of the committee overseeing the project and, over the years, we have seen the positive benefits of the committee's work.

Today, the English Communities Committee of the CSSS des Sommets has become a model for use in other CSSS territories in the Laurentians and Sheila still acts as a resource person. Sheila underlines that it could not have been done without the ongoing good will of the CSSS des Sommets administration.

Joe stayed on the board for five years, working towards the objectives we originally established, and is currently involved through an English-language committee that is responsible for the English Access Plan for our region. He sat on the boards of Fondation La Traversée, mandated by the Quebec ministry of health to build a palliative care home for the CSSS des Sommets region, and sits on the board of Conservation Manitou, a foundation dedicated to preserving natural environments. He is also a member of the Comité Consultative d'Urbanisme for Sainte Lucie. Sheila and Joe share a seat on the board of the Laurentian Club of Canada.

Sheila is following a passion for translating and is a member of the Editors' Association of Canada. You can learn more about what she is doing here.

Our son David is also involved locally, having been elected as the candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada for our riding, Laurentides--Labelle. David analysed the three major parties years ago and determined that an individual MP would likely have the strongest voice in the Liberal Party. At the time, Jean Chrétien was still prime minister. David's reasoning was that the Liberal Party is based on a pragmatic platform allowing it the flexibility to respond without ideological barriers. David lamented the lack of young people involved in politics and has worked actively to change that. For years he was a technology journalist and editor, volunteering extensively in his free time. He has been credited with helping get the GO train back to Guelph, where he lived at the time, and for having stopped the construction of a highway, encouraging public transit in its place.

David also anticipated publicly that Stéphane Dion would win the Liberal Party leadership if he entered the race in 2006, and he has worked for the Liberal Party in Ottawa for the past five years in the offices of various MPs, doing research, drafting questions, and interpreting data, and his involvement has also seen him in key roles in numerous election campaigns at all levels. He believes that the Conservatives and NDP would prefer a polarised two-party system but that the result of it would be two virtually identical parties jockeying for power as has happened in other democracies. Having a pragmatic party in the centre, he believes, encourages the discussion of ideas on governance.

You can see more on his official site here. His first major challenge is to raise enough money to be able to fight a campaign in Laurentides--Labelle. Even if you're not registered to vote here, you can still support him by donating to the riding association, as long as you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Each donor can give a maximum of $1,500 in a single year to a riding association in addition to $1,500 to a national political party. There are significant tax advantages to doing so, and they can be calculated right on the site.

David met Roemishiel (Mishiel) Marcelino, who is from the Philippines, while working in Ottawa, and together they have a daughter, Ozara, born in the Sainte Agathe hospital in March 2014. Mishiel has settled into life in Sainte Lucie and is building a business of providing services to the elderly residents of our area: running errands, providing companionship, doing household chores, etc. She is looking for more clients, especially those who would enjoy the occasional company of young Ozara.

Our elder son, Jonah, married Tracy Miranda of Nairobi, Kenya, and they live in the United Kingdom. They are both software engineers and have established their own consultancy. Their son Jacob is five and their daughter Addison is three.

You can learn more about some of our activities by exploring this site, and, while this page serves to re-introduce ourselves to you, over the next months it will be updated with local news. If you'd like to be informed of updates, or to share news of your community activities or events, please contact us (see sidebar) and we will add you to the Ballyhoo newsletter email list.

Share the NewsIf you ﻿wish to share community stories and events, send us an email. We can be reached at sheila-and-joe@ballyhoo.ca

Sheila and Joe live on a homestead in Sainte Lucie des Laurentides in the Laurentians north of Montreal. Together we write, edit, grow food, get involved in the community and generally have a full life. The site explains more; feel free to explore.